PEOPLE 



& PLACES 



exhibit focuses on general types of 

 pollution — from toxic chemicals to 

 sediment. 



After leaving the building, you can 

 stroll on a 75-foot boardwalk overlooking 

 the Pamlico River. In the distance, cypress, 

 oak and gum trees outline Castie Island, 

 used for docking steamers during the Civil 

 War. 



The estuarium was conceived by local 

 citizens and Washington town officials in 

 the early 1990s when they began a 

 fundraising drive. After the Partnership for 

 the Sounds formed in 1993, the group took 

 over the project. 



The partnership grew out of four 

 grassroots movements. "A handful of 

 community leaders from Tyrrell, Hyde, 

 Beaufort and Bertie counties were all trying 

 to promote environmental projects on their 

 own," says Woolard. "Jonathan Howes 

 (former secretary of the N.C. Department 

 of Environment and Natural Resources) 

 recognized that everyone had a single 

 mission and suggested forming a group for 

 the region." 



The new coalition developed a plan to 

 stimulate the local economy in the 

 Albemarle-Pamlico region through nature- 

 based tourism and unique environmental 



TV 



TAR RIVER 



education centers. 



The Albemarle- 

 Pamlico region is 

 one of 28 compo- 

 nents in the National 

 Estuary Program, 

 which encourages 

 local communities to 

 take responsibility 

 for water quality and 

 environmental 

 problems. Adminis- 

 tered by the U.S. 

 Environmental 

 Protection Agency 

 in agreement with 

 the N.C. Department 

 of Environment and 

 Natural Resources, 

 the Albemarle- 

 Pamlico National 

 Estuary Program has 

 offices in Raleigh 

 and Washington. 



"The ecology of the region is unique," 

 says Woolard. "There is a mystique to the 

 swamps, wetlands and creeks. They are 

 undiscovered by people. Because the 

 estuaries are off the beaten path, you get a 

 one-on-one connection with the environ- 

 ment." 



The estuarium, which has received 

 state funding, is the only partnership 

 facility built from scratch. Since the facility 

 opened last year, more than 19,704 people 

 have toured the exhibits. "It is the gateway 

 to the entire Albemarle-Pamlico region," 

 says Woolard. "After visiting it people can 

 move on to other facilities in different 

 counties. All our facilities offer different 

 ecological experiences." 



The oldest facility is Lake 

 Mattamuskeet Lodge in New Holland, 

 built in 1916 as a pump house and later 

 used as a hunting lodge. After shutting 

 down in 1974, it reopened in 1995 as a 

 research and education center on migratory 

 waterfowl. 



Columbia is the home of the newly 

 opened Columbia Theater Cultural 



Facilities administrator Blount Rumley 

 wants visitors to develop 

 an understanding of how human life 

 has affected the vast ecosystem. 



Resources Center, 

 which highlights 

 traditions and ways 

 of life in Tyrrell 

 County. The Walter 

 B. Jones Center for 

 the Sounds, which 

 will focus on 

 pocosins and 

 forested wetlands, is 

 scheduled to open 

 in Columbia in 

 2000. 



This summer, 

 another facility — 

 the Roanoke/Cashie 

 River Center — 

 will open in a 

 renovated building 

 overlooking the 



Cashie River in 

 Windsor. The 3,500 

 square-foot facility 

 will focus on coastal river systems and how 

 to manage important watersheds. It will 

 also have several outdoor attractions, 

 including a wetland pond and boardwalks. 



A facility is planned for Oriental, 

 known for its ideal sailing conditions. "The 

 Oriental facility will be made with environ- 

 mentally friendly techniques and have 

 interactive exhibits," says Woolard. "Since 

 the wind is unique here, we will use the 

 winds as a teaching tool." 



All of the Partnership for the Sounds 

 facilities showcase unique features of the 

 Albemarle-Pamlico region and offer a 

 glimpse into a place that you'll never 

 forget. □ 



The North Carolina Estuarium is at 

 223 East Water St., Washington. It is open 

 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through 

 Saturday. Summer hours are June 6 

 through Sept. 6, Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. 

 to 4 p.m. and Sunday 7 to 5 p.m. Reserva- 

 tions are required for school groups. 

 Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students 

 in grades K-12, and free for preschoolers. 

 For more information, call 252/948-0000. 



COASTWATCH 25 



